Tag Archives: free state patriot

Doug Smith: On Thievery and Philanthropy

14 Jul

DOUG FOR FSP

Doug Smith is an opinion columnist, historian and social editor for Free State Patriot

July 14, the 2019

 

Remove justice, and what are kingdoms but gangs of criminals on a large scale?  What are criminal gangs but petty kingdoms? A gang is a group of men under the command of a leader, bound by a compact of association, in which the plunder is divided according to an agreed convention.

If this villainy wins so many recruits from the ranks of the demoralized that it acquires territory, establishes a base, captures cities and subdues peoples, it then openly arrogates to itself the title of kingdom, which is conferred on it in the eyes of the world, not by the renouncing of aggression but by the attainment of impunity.

For it was a witty and truthful rejoinder which was given by a captured pirate to Alexander the Great.  The king asked the fellow, “What is your idea, in infesting the sea?”  And the pirate answered, with uninhibited insolence, “The same as yours, in infesting the earth!  But because I do it with a tiny craft, I’m called a pirate; because you have a mighty navy, you’re called an emperor.”

 St Augustine of Hippo, The City of God

I have been reading Dan Jones’ The Plantagenets: The Warrior Kings and Queens who made England. It led me to consider 2 millennia of thievery. First the Norsemen came to raid Normandy and the British Isles, then later the Normans, mixed in with Norsemen who had stayed, in the person of William the Conqueror conquered England in 1066. It was the grandson of William (also known as the Bastard, depending on the tome you read) Henry II, who established House Plantagenet, and, by all accounts, England.  (Watch The Lion in Winter), Richard the Lionheart, King John (of Robin Hood and Magna Carta fame), his grandson Edward, (Longshanks, of Braveheart infamy), Edward, The Black Prince (you saw him in A Knights Tale). See, you know these guys. What you don’t know is that they were broke, and had expensive hobbies. Their hobbies were France, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland. For while their main endeavor was conquering new lands to provide income to themselves and their sons, they had no source of income, no viable skills to trade, other than being very good at war, and, from time to time, at making laws. Laws, taxes, and the point of a sword were their stock in trade. No one who raised crops or shoed horses came to them and offered silver in exchange for a new set of laws, so they had to borrow and tax to finance their wars to obtain further lands from who to obtain further taxes. Et Cetera, ad nauseam.  These Wars included the aptly named Hundred Years War. Almost without exception, they amassed fortunes, spent them on wars to acquire other territories, to get the income from them, to get more territories, and died leaving the nation in debt. For purposes of this article, we won’t dwell on the bones bleaching at Agincourt, just the money. Henry says of himself, in James Goldman’s The Lion in Winter, “My life, when it is written, will read better than it lived. Henry Fitz-Empress, first Plantagenet, a king at twenty-one, the ablest soldier of an able time. He led men well, he cared for justice when he could and ruled, for thirty years, a state as great as Charlemagne’s.” He cared for justice when he could, but his skill, his raison d’etre, was fighting. So how did he get the money to “rule a state as great as Charlemagne’s? Institutionalized thievery, at the point of a sword. He gave laws, and molded the outline of England, but he took the money to do so at the point of a sword.

Does all this bear on our modern world?  Consider a politician who today makes $ 174,000, but a year ago made barely 26,000, has student loans to pay off, and can’t afford a place to stay, offering to give away free stuff that will cost 5 times as much as all the money produced by the entire United States economy in 2017. Who will pay for it?

Henry could tell you. The bankers who lent to his grandsons and were bankrupted could tell you. Henry might at least make the argument that for all he cost, he did leave behind a legacy of better laws and justice. Nor would he couch it in terms that he was only doing it for the people. No, he was straightforward about his ambitions to rule.

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One can respect his attitude as true, even while resenting his taxes. But question with a jaded eye the one who is “only thinking of the folks”.

Free medicine. Who pays the Doctors? Or are they to be slaves?

Free housing? Who pays the builders? Or are they to be slaves?

Free Education? Oh this one is rich. Will they make slaves of the NEA and University Administrators?

Green New Deal. Now that is a good one. Who pays for that? The cost, by conservative estimates, is over $ 93 Trillion dollars. Who pays? Or who becomes a slave. These are, understand, the only options.

When Andrew Carnegie, who was, at the time, the wealthiest man in the world, began to put his money to use building libraries (including the one in Huntington, WV. Look at the cornerstone on the original building sometime. It reads, A gift of Andrew Carnegie to the people of Huntington. ) Universities, he was a philanthropist. He believed that money, wealth, was best spent helping people help themselves. And to that end, he gave away over $ 350,000,000 before his death in 1919, the equivalent of 5.3 Trillion today.

Franklin Roosevelt, with his original New Deal give-aways, never touched his own fortune. Instead, he spend, in 2019 dollars, 900 Trillion taxpayer dollars by 1940. The future obligations of those give-aways are over 50 Trillion. Who paid for that? Or who will pay for that? And who will pay for the free stuff encompassed by the GND?

Well, of course, the Left will tell us, we will simply tax the evil, greedy rich. But consider. The total net wealth of everyone in the United States, including the wealthiest, is hovering around 88 Trillion.  So, to take all the proposed free stuff Democrats politicians are bandying about, conservative estimates are a cost of 243 Trillion dollars. If we enact a 100 percent tax and confiscate everything owned by everyone, that still leaves us well over 100 Trillion short. And remember, estimates of the cost of government programs are always low, usually by huge margins. We have another problem as well. If we go to the 100% wealth tax, that is the last dollar the government ever brings in. Period. No one has a car to go to work. No one owns a factory to hire employees. No one can afford to make widgets, or buy them if they were made, or plant a crop. The economy comes to a halt, because no one has any money, except for the government. If history has taught us anything, it is that they will quickly consume their feed corn.

So, when a politician offers to give things away, unless they are offering to give away their own money, we have the answer to the question: Who becomes a slave? Everyone. Me. You. Your children. They own it all, and we get only what they bestow on us, only if we do exactly what they approve of. That is the definition of slavery.

Now, let us consider this.

Of the current crop of potential candidates for President in 2020, which is proposing to give away a great deal of money that they don’t have, by the simple expedient of stealing it from anyone who does have it, so that they can control it, and, regardless of their promises, dole out whatever they choose? Everyone running for the Democrat nomination.

And of this same crop, which has donated their entire salary to various causes for over 2 years?

If you are a Lefty, or a Never Trumper, you should stop reading now. No, really I mean it, I’m warning you. Really, don’t do it.

Ok, you asked for it.

That would be President Donald Trump.

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Mark Caserta: Don’t be fooled by policies of “inclusion” or “compassion”. It’s about power.

6 Jul

city of huntington

me

Mark Caserta is an opinion columnist and editor for Free State Patriot

July 6, 2019

 

Let’s be very clear about the “newly discovered” progressive policies of empathy and benevolence toward mankind which Democrats have made such an integral portion of their platform.

Can someone please say, “hogwash”!

Additionally, I hate it when I hear people refer to Democrats as the “Democratic” Party. They’ve become the antithesis of Democracy or “government by the people”! They should simply be called the “Democrat” Party! But I digress.

Liberals bank on the fact that way too many Americans are only marginally engaged with the fact versus fiction of politics. If educators and the media did their jobs in educating and reporting the truth, the Democrat Party would be forced into working in the best interest of their constituents.

But, those with their finger on the pulse of the “myocardial infarction” known as “broken government”, know all too well that’s very unlikely to happen.

While I abhor using terms hollow commentators often bandy about in unison like a flock of cawing seagulls by the seashore, I believe I must in this case.

Democrats are very fond of “weaponizing” emotions.

Unlike knowledge, which some people clearly lack, everyone, no matter their level of engagement, has emotions.

And not unlike the scheming, manipulative person who will work harder at playing with a person’s emotions than establishing a relationship based on fact, liberals cling to controversies in which they can solicit and emotional response in influencing the masses.

Illegal immigration is a perfect example of Democrats engendering emotion while subjugating the facts.

If you recall, liberal Democrats, like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Chuck Schumer, swore to the American public President Trump’s “crisis at the border” was manufactured for political interest. All it took was a few principled journalists and representatives to visit the border and inundate the airwaves with such overwhelming “fact”, Democrats were forced into telling the truth. And even then, they denied their lack of integrity and action had anything to do with the mess they’ve created.

After having to finally admit there is, indeed, a crisis, as the president and border experts were saying, they now employ the “benevolence argument” that enforcement of the law and protecting the sovereignty of the U.S. is not being “compassionate”.

Liberal journalists are complicit in searching for photos of overstaffed facilities and fatal anomalies simply to claim “migrants” (not illegals) are being mistreated by the Trump administration.

These are not migrants! These people are committing crimes against the U.S. and against humanity. Yet, Democrats personify it in terms of, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”

I wish we could add the word, “legally” in the inscription on the Statue of Liberty. But Democrats would have a mental breakdown.

I’m not sure which is worse, the despicable nature of the Democrat lies intended to maintain power or the treasonous manner in which they are intentionally damaging our country.

Liberal loons, like Democrat Congresswoman, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, fabricate stories about illegals being forced to “drink from toilets” at holding stations, knowing these type stories can never be substantiated.

Canards of this nature are simply designed for an emotional response. Facts be damned.

It’s all about power.

Just as in the state of California, where uncontrolled illegal immigration has resulted in such a leftist political environment, no conservative could ever hope to win a major election or push a conservative agenda – it’s all about getting votes and staying in power.

Understand, progressives pave a way to the ballot box for these folks, knowing they’ll never vote against the “hand that feeds them”, all at the taxpayer’s expense.

California lawmakers have already passed legislation to give illegal aliens a driver’s license.

You can’t make this stuff up.

Please understand, this methodology isn’t proprietary to Washington. The desire for power at the expense of those who would deny it, is a ravenous emotion.

Liberal fanaticism is saturating our great nation, including right here in our own city of Huntington, WV.

Our mayor’s policy of “inclusion”, just as illegal immigration, isn’t complicated. It’s about inciting an emotional reaction from marginally engaged individuals by insinuating the inhabitants of our city are racist, homophobic, xenophobes incapable of loving people whose lifestyle we may not condone. We therefore must pry “open” the heretofore “closed” doors to members of the LGBT community and their promiscuous lifestyles. This includes allowing them to read to our children and begin desensitizing them to the LGBT lifestyle at an early age.

I know I’m strange, but it reminds me of the 1963 hit by “The Roof Top Singers”:

“Walk right in, sit right down: Daddy, let your mind roll on. Everybody’s talkin’ ‘bout a new way of walkin’. Do you want to lose your mind?”

Well, based on the liberal desire to welcome anyone with a pulse to cross into any city in our nation – they already have.

Just don’t forget to come to the courthouse and register to vote – Democrat!

Liberal Democrats know they cannot win in the theater of ideas and truth. In fact, they’re perpetually afraid of the truth making its way to the American people. It would be devastating to their platform, which is based on public ignorance and emotion.

It’s no different here in Huntington where I believe the local media searches desperately for “wins” by our city administration while clouding the truth that our city is dying a slow death.

Terms like “inclusion” and “compassion”, sadly, have become red flags in the political theater. They’re now, the hollowest words in the liberal thesaurus.

What used to be genuine compassion for others, has morphed into policies of “enablement” and “coercion” of those beholding to liberals to vote for the progressive, Democrat agenda.

One could say, we’re witnessing a Democrat, proposed form of “government organized crime.”

Protection and entitlements for those willing to be controlled and conforming.

Not for this patriot.

 

 

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Doug Smith: The truth about illegal immigration

24 Jun

After a sabbatical following the loss of his hero, his father, Doug has returned with absolute clarity on the crisis at our Southern Border.  The crisis is real.

illegals for doug's

The crisis at the border is real

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DOUG FOR FSP

Doug Smith is an opinion columnist, historian and social editor for Free State Patriot

June 24, 2019

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During the time of the Barbary Pirates, there was an expression of the sentiment of the times. In various forms, it said “Millions for defense, not a sixpence for tribute.”  The Pirates, you see, would offer to stop attacking our ships if we would only pay them off. The sentiment was to reject the offer, and reject it we did. Jefferson sent the Navy and Marines to fight them off and there was no more problem with the Barbary Pirates.

A similar principle is at work in the arguments regarding the costs and treatment of illegals detained in the US. Legal immigrants play by the rules. They must show that they are able to support themselves before being allowed to come in, and are expect, at once, to begin contributing to, not taking from, society. It is, therefore, manifestly unfair to permit others to push around those waiting to do it right, and sneer at our laws and borders, and reward such behavior by supporting them while they are here illegally, and meanwhile, the ones who respect our laws, and our country, wait.

In 1986, Democrats, led by Ted Kennedy, made a deal with President Reagan. In exchange for amnesty for 3 million illegals, Democrats would agree to secure the border and fix laws so that legal immigration was streamlined and illegal immigration was much harder, and dealt with much more sternly. Unsurprisingly, looking back at deals with Democrats, he lied. The 3 million got amnesty. None of the promised actions took place. Not even now, 33 years later.

When our laws, our enforcement, and our benefits to illegal entries all combine to make it attractive to disobey our laws, and count on being rewarded for being illegal, and punished for doing the right thing, we get what you would expect: more illegals.

We must remove the incentives to break our laws.

Now, there is an argument being put forth that it is cheaper to release them and give them welfare than to detain them. (Have you noticed that the Left is never concerned about how to pay for something, or what it costs, unless it is for something of which they disapprove?)  This is particularly specious. For one thing, detainees will be held for a limited period of time. Then, after a hearing, if denied amnesty, they will be deported to their homes. Illegals released into the population, and given public moneys to live on, will be living on it, in most cases, for decades. Arguments by the catch and release crowd to the contrary, ICE testified before Congress in Dec 2018 that in fact, a scant 15 % ever show up for hearings. And with good reason, from their point of view, because less than 12% of amnesty claims turn out to be valid and approved. There is massive fraud in these claims, because lawyers and open borders advocates coach people before they arrive on what to say to trigger a claim for amnesty. Yet, once they are investigated, very few are found to be legitimate.

This is tantamount to saying it costs so much to hold a felon that it is cheaper to release him into the community. After all, what he would steal is probably less than what it costs to hold him. In one sense, it may be cheaper, with the single felon. But there is also the desire to deter crime and make it costly to the criminal. We want to discourage crime and live under the protection of a system of laws. If we always do that which is cheaper and easier, regardless of right or wrong, we soon find ourselves at the mercy of bullies and bandits.

The arguments to simply release everyone are just the open borders arguments in various guises. The United States of America is not going to have open borders, and permit anyone, anywhere, who wishes to come, to come on in, ignore our laws, and get paid for it. Because if we did, the United States would cease to exist. No sovereign nation has, or can, continue if it does not control its borders and its populations. Many countries require visitors to have a return ticket before they can roam around.

The current flood of people coming into Texas is no longer just people fleeing Honduras or Guatemala looking for the good life here. Citizens of 29 different countries have been flooding Texas in recent months. A small town of 17000 recently had over 300 Congolese illegals appear on their streets, and no one who can even speak their language. Proof, in case we still need it, that the word is out: drag a child with you and you can get in, and that these folks are getting help to get in. How else do 300 poor Congolese make the trek from Africa to Mexico and then walk up across the border.

It is unfair to legal immigrants, or those waiting to come in illegally, but it is also unfair to US citizens and taxpayers. Essentially the open border argument says “No matter what it costs you, no matter how much it taxes your resources, no matter that it may bankrupt your town, then your county, then your state, then the nation, you must accept as many of the worlds billions of poor who want to come and take from your purse.” I reject this argument, and say I, and my fellow citizen, get to set the limits on my charity. Often in response, I am called a bigot or xenophobe. These are not arguments, but simply attacks. They do not persuade. If anyone, government or fellow citizen, wishes to take my good and money from me, without persuading me that it is in my interest to give it, then it is simply robbery, whether the gun is visible or not. Ultimately, the threat of force is behind it.

I am an American. I advocate for the interests of my country, and my fellow citizens, first and foremost, and above and to the exclusion of any others. For those who want to come in, you may ask to do so. You must play by the rules, and there is a chance you will be permitted to come. Not everyone will. America may be a friend to other countries. We are the best friend other countries can have. We are the ones called when a tsunami wipes out hundreds, or an earthquake devastates an already backward country. Us. The United States. Not Cuba, or Venezuela, or China, us. And we respond over and over again with ships and people and money. The world looks to us as the big dog when trouble strikes. But we will not accept, en masse, their entire populations of poor, thereby relieving them of the obligation to care for them, and breaking our own system and economy.

It costs something to detain, care for, process, and deport illegals. It will cost Mexico something to slow down the mass movements on their southern border. But once the word filters out that it is no longer a cake walk, and that dragging a child along a dangerous 1200-mile journey is no longer an EZ Pass into the US, the flood of illegals will slow considerably, to levels we can manage. Until it does, these are steps we must take to preserve our country.

 

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Mark Caserta: Huntington leadership policies on drug abuse not working

22 Jun

huntington, wv

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me

Mark Caserta is an opinion columnist and editor for Free State Patriot

June 22, 2019

 

“The highest per capita overdose rate and the highest per capita death rate in the country for opiates is right here in the Southern District of West Virginia. To a certain degree, Huntington has become ground zero, the epicenter of the opioid crisis” – Mike Stuart, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia is quoted as saying on the AddictionCenter website.

Per Addiction-Treatment.com, the United State spends approximately $276 billion every year to deal with substance abuse – with absolutely nothing to show for it!

Folks, believe me when I tell you there is big money in drug rehabilitation. While I’ve no doubt there are sincere samaritans who have a heart for healing, I believe there are sinister members of society who profit by the enterprise.

It’s a disgusting fact, but one in which we must be cautiously cognizant.

Many experts will confirm that our fair city of Huntington, WV. has become a “hub for drug trafficking”. Sadly, our city leadership and local media have failed miserably in bringing light to this disturbing fact.

Drug traffickers traveling to West Virginia bring large amounts of synthetic opiate drugs for distribution. And why not? We’re a nation of supply and demand, and the demand for drugs in our area is huge.

Dealers and addicts travel from Michigan and surrounding states to market their wares in the prominent heroin “flea market” known as Huntington. Reportedly, major drug trafficking organizations have now taken root in the city, some of whom are gang related, with Detroit and Columbus being the main sources of traffickers of heroin into Huntington per my sources.

And the fruits of their labor are all around us!

Our city is laden with increased property crime, visible prostitution, homicides and regular fatal overdoses, all stemming from an industry which is alarmingly growing in our own back yard.

And what does our city leadership do? As far as I can tell, very little, except enable destructive behavior. Our court house policies of reduced first responders, drug rehab and needle exchange seem to do far more to enable the drug culture than prevent it.

Disagree? Look around you.

Our city is a stone’s throw away from becoming the East Coast distributor for liberal, progressive policies of inclusion and temperance. How long will it be before the homeless overtake sections of our city and our streets are laden with disease and pestilence? How long will it be before the scourge of life without purpose begins to suffocate our very existence?

How long will it be before our city takes its last breath?

Overly dramatic? Perhaps. But try telling that to the helpless citizens of Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York who have fallen prey to the whims of progressive activists who spend more time fighting for the rights of illegals than they do our nation’s citizens. Their tax dollars are stripped away at alarming rates to coddle the increasing numbers of the poor and destitute.

But rise in protest and you’re declared a racist, intolerant homophobe. Such is the progressive ideology.

It’s time we demand our city leaders to take another approach, using a rather unique concept to liberals.

It’s called enforcing the law.

A 2018 column in The Hill, by Kahryn Riley, entitled, “Detroit a model when it comes to solving the opioid epidemic” describes steps drug-ridden cities have taken to curb the opioid epidemic.

Detroit and other cities across the nation are now using specialty dockets as an innovative way to respond to the opioid challenge. These “problem-solving courts”, sometimes known as “drug courts”, were pioneered by a trial judge in Hawaii to combat drug addiction and alcoholism among defendants in his courtroom.

Offenders who are caught up in substance abuse often cycle perpetually through the traditional criminal justice system with minimal results. But drug courts seek to end substance abuse by the people who enter them, using “treatment, intensive supervision and drug testing, frequent status hearings before their judge, and graduated incentives and sanctions.” Judges, prosecutors, law enforcement, defense counsel, probation officers and treatment providers collaborate to help participants build accountability and make healthy choices.

As law enforcement agencies work to get drugs off the street, lawyers and judges are doing their part to ensure justice is served for dealers and users. Prosecutors are bringing homicide charges against drug dealers whose wares result in the deaths of their customers.

They’re simply enforcing the laws on the books. And the model is working!

By treating the underlying problem, these courts reduce the rate at which offenders commit additional crimes while simultaneously shrinking the number who are drug-addicted or alcohol-dependent. The model saves money in the long run — and the lives of defendants.

It’s time we lay aside the fruitless efforts of our city leaders which have proven feckless in the fight against drug abuse. Continuing down the same road and expecting different results is simply insanity.

It’s time our leaders get smart and look at how other cities facing similar issues are being successful, if they truly want to solve the problem.

I call upon city leaders to immediately reach out for counsel in helping Huntington overcome this plight that is devastating our city economy and future. Put your service to the citizens of Huntington ahead of your pride.

Our approach to this problem must change. It isn’t working.

 

 

 

 

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Mark Caserta: Call to Action: Conservatives, get back in the game!

13 Jun

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President Trump takes some time to interact with factory worker supporters

me

Mark Caserta is an opinion columnist and editor for Free State Patiot

June 6, 2019

 

For the first time in 15 years, I recently took a month-long sabbatical from writing.

Like many Americans, the constant barrage of fake news, liberal talking points and downright lies began taking its toll on me. And while I always pray for guidance before I write an opinion column, I felt it was important to just step back, observe and seek a fresh, innovative perspective on the idiosyncrasies of politics and the world around us.

Please don’t misunderstand. I’ll never compromise the principles of conservatism or the tenets of God’s Word. But introspection is a crucial part of preparing to change the world around you. How can one possibly attempt to address societal or economic woes if one is unable to move forward, objectively, considering all points of view.

So, after several weeks of thoughtful consideration to not only my critics, but critics of the conservative movement, I’m back in the game. And low and behold, I’ve received an epiphany! I’ve arrived at an incontestable conclusion about the progressive movement.

There are two types of liberals. Those who are unknowingly ignorant and those who are willfully ignorant. Either way, they’re ignorant.

And by calling them ignorant, I’m actually giving them a pass! Ignorance means “uninformed” or “unaware”! I’m crediting them with not knowing the facts!

Because, if they aren’t somehow ignorant of the facts, then, in my opinion, they’re knowingly traitorous to the American dream of peace and prosperity! There is no in-between!

Folks, liberals don’t like America very much. To them, we are and have been on the wrong side of history in everything from Capitalism to Nationalism. They seek another “anointed one”, like Barack Hussein Obama, to help them re-institute “fundamental change”.

In other words, flush America down the toilet in lieu of their new progressive matrix which is void of filters promoting morality, justice or common sense.

Despite their battle cry for “Democracy” and “freedom”, the Obama presidency was more invasive than a colonoscopy with a light saber. And our local leadership isn’t far behind. (No pun intended)

And please don’t rely on the mainstream media, either locally or on a national level!

They’re on a mission to do two things: Prop up the progressive movement and get ratings – period. And facts will never stand in their way! Recent events have illuminated local liberal ideology trafficked by those in whom we’ve mistakenly placed our trust.

Unsightly liberalism is impossible to disguise for very long. Even then, it’s like putting lipstick on Jabba the Hut.

Ok, enough Star Wars metaphors. Geez.

And by no means should you rely on local print media. The Herald Dispatch has succumbed to the Deep State and are seemingly content to solely channel news and opinion designed to influence, not inform. What an inequitable travesty for our local newspaper to take up “virtual arms” against the community that gave it birth.

It’s no wonder, they’re often giving away free copies at the grocery store.

Your peace and prosperity means little to nothing to these minions of progressivism. Trust me when I tell you, many of them would gladly sacrifice America’s wins for a single shot at removing President Trump from office.

Liberals must be the most vicious, vindictive vermin on earth, worse than a “vermicious knid”. (Willy Wonka 1971).

Losing the 2016 presidential election to a politically-incorrect outsider, who calls them out regularly for their intellectual dishonesty, is something which must be avenged! And they are only too happy to spend your hard-earned tax dollars on a witch hunt to dig up anything to discredit our president.

But after millions of dollars, dozens of liberal lawyers and a special prosecutor on a mission to unseat our president – they have nothing – at your continuing expense.

Prior to the 2016 presidential election, America was on a dreadful, downhill spiral. Jobs were disappearing. The economy was grinding to a halt. Our enemies didn’t fear us and our allies didn’t trust us. A record number of Americans had dropped off the labor participation force. Democrat, socialist policies and government regulation were strangling industry in lieu of donations and support from radical left-wing activists.

We were dying as a nation.

Yet, in 2 short years, President Trump’s pro-growth policies have resulted in real gross domestic product growth at over 3 percent over the last four quarters!

More than 5 million jobs have been created under President Trump and the unemployment rate is at a 50-year low!

African American unemployment, in May, fell to 5.9%, which is the lowest rate on record.

Asian and Hispanic-American unemployment rates have reached record lows as well.

President Trump has delivered on his promise to bring back American manufacturing. The National Association of Manufacturers’ Outlook Index had the highest annual average in its history over the past year.

Small Business optimism jumped to a record high under President Trump per a survey by the National Federation of Independent Business.

But, I ask you. Do you hear or read about these accomplishments or dozens of others, either locally or on the mainstream media?

Why not?

Simply put, liberals rely on your disengagement of the facts. They believe if they tell a lie often enough, marginally engaged voters will begin to believe it.

That’s the premise of fake news. And it should make you angry that the media is willing to play you for a fool.

I encourage you, my friend, to research your own facts. Come to your own conclusions. Don’t continue to allow the liberal media to force feed you trash.

And do some introspection. Take some time and gather your thoughts.

But think for yourself! Don’t allow the progressive prevaricators to control you and your children’s future.

And when you’re armed and ready, get back into the game.

 

 

 

 

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Mark Caserta: WSAZ host bitter over response to promoting Drag Queens Slay Cancer Fundraiser

13 May

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WSAZ’s “First Look at Four” promotes Drag Queens Slay Cancer Fundraiser

me

Mark Caserta is an opinion columnist and editor for Free State Patriot

May 13, 2019

 

The progressive movement is alive and well in Huntington, WV.

A few weeks back, WSAZ, a local television affiliate of NBC, deemed it appropriate to promote the “Drag Queens Slay Cancer Fundraiser”, which occurred on April 26th at the Marshall University Student Center.

Bad enough – right? Apparently not.

Reportedly, unsupervised children watching the early news were exposed to video clips of drag queens dancing on a stage promoting the event.  Not cool.

Needless to say, liberals wrongly anticipated viewer reaction.

Concerned citizens and the Family Policy Council of West Virginia immediately expressed concern over the event and WSAZ’s decision to publicly promote it. And most people would support the right to do so, without recompense.

But not WSAZ host, Tim Irr.

Following the Family Policy Council’s feedback, Irr took to social media bitterly criticizing the response, calling it “sad from a humanity standpoint”.

“There are plenty of people who believe they have a moral responsibility to stand up for their religious convictions, and how they would like to see those convictions applied to the rules of society,” Irr maintained on his Facebook page. “Conversely, there are plenty of people who see no redeeming value whatsoever in a society guided by what they perceive as religious intolerance.”

Liberalism 101: Progressives always equate moral convictions with religious intolerance.

It appears Tim Irr is comparing the intolerance of the citizens of Huntington to having gender confused men dress up like women parading down a runway in a public venue, to the intolerance of someone exercising their religious freedom and free speech as provided by the Constitution.

Irr went on to suggest how we feel about “the other side” may be best kept in our own thoughts, versus exercising freedom of speech.

Is Irr really suggesting Christians are intolerant because they choose to express their concern over the promotion of an event clearly established by individuals who are intentionally seeking a venue to surreptitiously promote their lifestyle?

I never cease to be amazed how liberals love exercising their freedom of speech to disenfranchise yours.

Irr’s position, as I interpret it from his post, is that if the “cause” is a noble one, such as raising money for cancer research, we should turn a blind eye and honor the event and it’s expressed intent, rather than express our views based upon our religious beliefs.

In other words, our morality should be on a sliding scale commensurate to accommodating the progressive movement’s warped ideology.

While Irr asserts the guests, who appeared on WSAZ’s “First Look at Four” were not there “promoting adherence to a certain lifestyle, anyone who believes the singular motivation behind this Drag Queen event was to raise money for The American Cancer Society is either shockingly naïve, intellectually dishonest, or just plain ignorant.

As with other events in our city spawned by our mayor’s policy of “inclusion”, such as Drag Queen Story Hour, this fundraiser, under the guise of compassion, is about validating a disturbing segment of society and contributing to society’s desensitization of an immoral lifestyle – period.

Under Irr’s “tenets of tolerance”, would WSAZ promote a Klu Klux Klan fundraiser for cancer research? How about NAMBLA, North American Man Boy Love Association? Is he truly suggesting there are situations where opinion should be silenced if liberals determine the end justifies the means?

This ideology totally disregards the impact on the most impressionable among us – our children. I’ve been keenly aware the promotion of these Drag Queen events has been consistent in verbalizing they’re openness to all ages – especially Drag Queen Story Hour, which encourages children to look beyond gender “stereotypes”.

Really?

And for Irr to chastise those expressing legitimate concern over the potential impact to our community and its total disregard for our religious beliefs is both arrogant and disingenuous.

As I’ve often noted, so-called “fake news” is news designed to influence rather than inform. Understand, the subtlety of this influencing can vary from “in your face” to “under the radar”. Simply providing a venue to these Drag Queens helps propagate their mission of influencing their lifestyle upon others.

As far as desiring our religious convictions to be applied to the rules of society, as Irr suggests is a Christian’s ultimate goal – of course we do! It’s called morality! It’s the defining attribute of a thriving society! And I don’t want my grandchildren raised in a world void of it!

I suppose our local media (including The Herald Dispatch, which also promoted the Drag Queen event) would better understand the principle of convictions, if they didn’t appear to lack them in much of their reporting.

Bottom line: Tim Irr, WSAZ, and The Herald Dispatch have the right to promote whatever they want.

Just understand, as citizens, we have the right to boycott their services and their advertisers if they continue to operate contrary to the best interests of our community.

 

 

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Mark Caserta: 2020 Presidential election referendum: Capitalism vs. Socialism

5 May

Capitalism-vs.-Socialism

me

Mark Caserta is an opinion columnist and editor for Free State Patriot

May, 5, 2019

 

Liberal Democrats are rapidly becoming irrelevant. Their inadequacy in stopping Donald Trump and convincing the American people he’s a scallywag has forced them into moving even further to the left in a last-ditch effort to “buy the vote” of those marginally engaged in politics or history.

I recall a time when socialist-leaning politicians used to hide their Marxist tendencies. Now they run campaigns on them! They realize promoting a socialist agenda is their only hope for winning in 2020.

Right now, Trump “owns” Capitalism.

Of socialism, Winston Churchill is quoted as saying:

“Social­ism is a phi­los­o­phy of fail­ure, the creed of igno­rance, and the gospel of envy, its inher­ent virtue is the equal shar­ing of misery.” 

This quote by the famous orator accurately portrays today’s far-left Democrat Party. Words like, “failure”, “ignorance”, “envy”, and misery are surely analogous to the progressive movement and their desire to control the lives of every American by luring them into a “nanny state” net of dependence.

Understand, the progressive movement is never satisfied. And they’ll never be satisfied until they’ve successfully moved every traditional Christian value to a sliding scale of morality, ridding our nation of its moral compass. In other words, anything goes – except Christianity.

Some older readers may recall the days of “gas wars”, where service stations in a city would try to “underprice” their competitor across the street by lowering their fuel prices a few pennies a gallon below the standard norm for the area. This price lowering strategy went back and forth until the price of gasoline was incredibly low. I’ve witnessed gasoline prices per gallon well-below a dollar!

We are seeing the growing field of Democrat presidential “hopefuls” do much the same early in the campaign process. We are witnessing “Freebie Wars”! Who can promise to give the most “stuff” away to essentially “buy” your vote!

I’m truthfully unsure if liberal Democrats are ignorant enough to believe they can simply give “free stuff” to everyone or if they realize they are lying and that someone (the taxpayer) must foot the bill. In which case, they are using your money to buy votes!

It is the epitome of hypocrisy for candidates like millionaire socialist, Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) to be willing to extravagantly give your hard-earned tax dollars away when he reportedly has never given more than 2% of his annual salary to charity. That’s sad, my friend.

But wait. Does it even make sense for liberal Democrats to run on such a socialist platform if they truly care about your peace and prosperity?

Look around you. Our economy is thriving at record levels. Unemployment is at a 50-year low, for every single demographic! Manufacturing is returning. Our military is strong and once again, respected. America is returning to the greatness and exceptionalism it lost under the Obama administration.

But you’ll never hear liberal Democrats talk about the economy. They can’t speak to it forthrightly, without acknowledging President Trump is winning for Americans.

They decide, rather to talk about all the reasons they hate Donald Trump.

Trust me, when I tell you they would sell out this economy and the very heart of our Republic to see President Trump fail. The truth isn’t relative. Just stop Trump. Because if Donald Trump succeeds in his mission to return America to long-term greatness, they will become more irrelevant than they’ve already become.

And don’t listen to the fake news or fake polls. The complicit, liberal media has been reduced to reporting and polling to “influence” outcomes, rather than report them. This policy has not only taken root nationally, but locally as well. These are the same derelicts who told you Hillary Clinton would win the presidency in a landslide.

You can always tell when a liberal is lying to you. Their lips are moving.

Stay the course, Mr. President. And prepare for 2020. It could be the first time in American presidential election history, the referendum is Capitalism versus Socialism!

I’ll take that matchup any day.

 

 

 

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Seth Caserta: Criminals behind bars should not be allowed to vote.

1 May

seth

Seth Caserta will be a 17-year-old senior in the upcoming year at Covenant Christian School. 

May 1, 2019

 

Today, in the United States of America, we live as a free nation, under God, with Liberty and Justice for all.

Since the 1900s, the rights for African Americans, and many other non-white citizens were and are debated, however some in the Democrat Party want to give prisoners the right to vote as well.

Democrats, even when Franklin D Roosevelt was still president, were a selfish party, and now trying to give prisoners the right to vote just to get more votes for the Presidential Election.

Prisoners should not be given the right to vote, for this reason: If they are convicted of robbing a bank, do you think that they would vote for the country’s benefit? Of course not! The Democrats as you know hate Trump, and are now trying to give Prisoners voting rights, so Trump won’t get re-elected.

Democrats hate Trump more than they love their country.

If a prisoner is convicted of murder, do you think that he should be given voting rights? No! Of course, not! Bernie Sanders seems to think so, however he’s wrong. A criminal should never get the right to vote while they are still a prisoner. Even if we live in a free country, that doesn’t give the Democrats the right to abuse that freedom just because they hate Trump. Even if a prisoner only robbed a bank, they still shouldn’t be given the right to vote.

A prison is meant for a punishment. If a parent’s kid were to kill a dog, would that parent let the kid have pizza for dinner? No! That’s why you shouldn’t give prisoners voting rights. Or if your dog were to destroy your furniture, would you give the dog a treat? No!

Giving someone the right to vote is giving them the privilege to have a say so for the election. This isn’t right for a Presidential Election or any other Election. When a Person commits a crime, they lose that right and should have to work hard to be allowed back into society. During the 1900’s Martin Luther King stood for African Americans to have the right to vote. What do you think he’d say to giving prisoners voting rights? He’d say that’s stupid.

The right to vote is not something you can just hand out – it’s a privilege and not just another thing the Democrats can hand out to get more votes. That privilege is what your grandfathers fought for in World War II. It’s what George Washington fought for in the Revolutionary War. It’s what Abraham Lincoln fought for, as president, until he was murdered.

Our freedom is something the Vietnam Veterans fought for, so we as a nation could continue to have the right to vote, to have a say so, and to have that privilege. Our Right to vote is why we celebrate the 4th of July, because we have that say so. So, let us, as a Nation, defend that right to vote we were blessed with by God, and let us celebrate everyday as our Independence Day.

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Doug Smith: Scoundrels leading fools

1 May

DOUG FOR FSP

Doug Smith is an opinion columnist, historian and Associate editor for Free State Patriot

May 1, 2019

 

“12 year olds should be nailed in a barrel and fed through the bung until they are 16, at which time the bung should be sealed. “

Mark Twain

16 year olds are morons.

That assessment is, I realize, overly generous. But I am fond of many 16 year olds. I sympathize with them for the number of times they say or do something incredibly stupid and cringe over it. I spent much of my 17th year of life cringing, justifiably. I still cringe over the memory of ignorant but certain pronouncements I made to girlfriends, buddies, teachers, and other adults in my life. I am still amazed that they let me drive a car. I was going to list some of the moronic things I did as a 16 year old, but I find that even decades later they make me want to curl up like a potato bug in embarrassment. Instead Ill invite you to recall some of the idiotic things you said and did at that age. Feel good about yourself? Yea, right.

“When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.”

Mark Twain

Mature adults smile at this quote, recognizing in it their own journey to maturity. Sadly, we live in a world containing far too many large children of 13 or 14, whose bodies have grown for a couple of decades. While the adults smile at their teenage angst, and certainty about everything, beginning with the premise that everything done by everything before us was wrong, or at the least, certainly inferior to what we, with our superior, well, something, would do when we were in charge. For many of us there comes that eureka moment, usually not during a bath, more often with the first pay check, or paying for a car repair, or perhaps some very loud sailor who doesn’t really care how badly you would enjoy 5 more minutes on your mattress. It is 0530, there is a lot to do, and you are going to do it, and you are decidedly not in Kansas. Welcome to the adult world.

But evidence suggests, as far back as 30 AD, there were those who learned the lessons of adulthood poorly, belatedly, and with difficulty.

Witness the prodigal son.

Entitled: “Give me what is mine” (Boy, none of it is yours. If your Dad decides to endow you with a living or a bag of coin, that is his choice to bless you. But you earned nothing by virtue of being born.

Profligate: That which he had not earned, he did not value, and set about spending his money with bartenders and hangers on, also happy to share in unearned value. He set nothing aside, provided no source of replacement income, and purchased nothing of value beyond today’s meat and wine and women. Like everyone who eats their seed corn, comes the time of planting and harvest, the foolishness becomes apparent. Everyone will share your wine, none will share your hunger.

Foolish: As witnessed by his wisdom, obtained by hardship, in the Eureka moment when he realizes “Even the guys who work for my Dad are better off than I am now, and I was his son. Maybe he’ll give me a job. “

Of course, we now understand, from medical science, that the forebrain, that part responsible for reasoning and logical thinking is still developing at 16. In fact, it is not fully developed until around 25. The body, hormones, muscles, and other parts of the brain are rapidly developing, enough that a 16 year old can simulate an adult in many ways. But of course, the part that makes sound judgements is still at around the same place that thinks bringing Mom a snake, or chasing a little girl with a bug, or cutting down Moms favorite tree with Dads favorite cross cut saw are all great ideas.

So what, you might ask, is your point? Any of us past the age of 30 can look back at our own foolish 16 year old self, and conclude, yes, it was a miracle that I survived. We must have guardian angels. So why, then, we might ask together, would liberal Democrats want to extend the franchise for voting to someone who we judge (Correctly!) is not old enough to responsibly buy and drink alcohol, enter into a contract, buy real estate, purchase a gun, enter the military, or, in most cases, marry without permission? We lowered the voting age to 18 in response to the Vietnam War, on the logic that if an 18 year old can go fight in the jungle, they ought to be able to vote for the leaders who send them. There is something to be said for that argument, but it is not axiomatic that it was correct. We have a class of 18 year olds about to vote for the first time who have lived in a country at war their entire lives. That will certainly color their thinking, and (another article,) it should give us pause as well, but it does not make 16-18 year olds any more mature and responsible than they ever were.

Who then, wants people known for making ill-advised decisions, still self-assured of their own superiority, because life has yet to kick them in the shins with the results of their dumb decisions, to be part of the decision making about who gets to lead the country? Well, if we apply a bit of basic logic, it is easy to see that would benefit people who want to enact half-baked ideas which any rational, mature adult, would reject out of hand. What party wants to spend more money that the GDP of the entire world? What party races to the microphone with promises of all they will give away, after 8 years of the worst jobs and economy performance in American history, assuming their friends in the Teachers Unions have successfully dumbed down a bunch of entitled children so that they never think to ask who will pay for all this stuff? (A too- generous Santa Claus at Christmas means beans and macaroni instead of steak and chops in January. A step on the road to adulthood is realizing that relationship.)

(Dad, can I hitch hike to Canada this summer? And while I’m at it, can I spend more money than you, me, and my kids, will manage to earn to give everyone I meet free game consoles, MP3 players, and lobster dinners? Uh, no, you may not. Tell you what, you can work all summer, see how much you can save, and spend that money any way you want. At which point giving away freebies will be less appealing, because why should you give the fruits of your hard work to your pals who spent their summer playing games and eating junk food? And you will suddenly find yourself in the Republican Party. Funny how that works.)

There are those who will give away their votes purely for the promise of all the free stuff politicians offer them. As I have often noted on these pages, Government owns nothing, produces nothing, has nothing, can give nothing that it does not take away from someone else. Marcus Tullius Cicero said it most eloquently:

“The evil was not in the bread and circuses, per se, but in the willingness of the people to sell their rights as free men for full bellies and the excitement of the games which would serve to distract them from the other human hungers which bread and circuses can never appease.”

Next up: Why Democrats should campaign and recruit candidates in Psychiatric Hospitals.

Short answer: They already buy into insane ideas.

 

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Mark Caserta: Where will Huntington, WV be in 5 years? The Shadow knows!

14 Apr

shadow

“The Shadow” lives in American history as a radio classic

 

me

Mark Caserta is an opinion columnist and editor for Free State Patriot

April 14, 2019

 

“Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!”

Such was the introduction from the mid-1930’s radio program, “The Shadow”, spoken by actor Frank Readick. While certainly before my time, it sparks a question extremely relative for society today.

Truth be known, if voters could see into the hearts of many politicians today, they certainly would not elect them. However, one does beg to wonder, “What would many of today’s politicians attempt to do if they knew they could not fail?

So, let’s ask the question!

If Huntington’s Mayor, Steve Williams knew he could successfully turn our city into a “sanctuary city”, (as many of the mayors across the nation have done) would he do it?

For a couple of years now, Mayor Williams has integrated into his agenda an “Open to All” anti-discrimination campaign. Admittedly, I’m shamefully unaware of many potential tangibles related to the policy. I am, however, aware of the acceptance of Drag Queen’s reading to our young children attempting to “broaden” their acceptance of alternative lifestyles.

So, from where I stand, the success of the campaign is ambiguous, at best. But, I believe the intent is much clearer.

A January 2018 column in The Herald Dispatch attempted to explain that the goal of Mayor Williams’ anti-discrimination campaign is to “promote diversity and inclusion by broadening views beyond race, gender and sexual orientation.”

Many readers know I’ve been on a mission for well over a decade to promote our nation’s founding principles and expose the progressive movement for the treasonous enterprise it’s become. So, understand, this piece has nothing to do with what I believe to be the liberal mindset of our local paper.

But it has everything to do with illuminating the ethos of the progressive movement.

Let me be perfectly clear. The goal of liberals is NOT to promote diversity and inclusion. I can expunge that argument simply by asking why they are so averse to Christians and the views of Christianity? While some lay claim to adhering to the precepts of God’s Word, don’t be fooled by their “sheep’s clothing” or poetic oratory.

Progressives “loathe” the boundaries and prescriptions of Christianity. God’s Word is the antithesis of liberalism and the progressive movement. And trust me when I tell you it is the only barrier between liberals and achieving all of their goals!

Additionally, don’t allow liberals to “muddy” the water by allowing them to argue from a premise that doesn’t even exist, simply to validate their bogus “compassion” for the “alienated and downtrodden.”

Case and point. Let’s look at the premises on which Mayor Williams’ campaign builds its case for his policies of inclusion.

By embarking upon a mission to promote diversity and inclusion in Huntington, WV., Mayor Williams is asserting that our city has traditionally done otherwise. His desire to “broaden views beyond race, gender and sexual orientation” suggests there is currently a narrow focus among our city’s residents.

By encouraging “maintaining a safe and welcoming environment” for all inhabitants of the River City, one must surmise the mayor believes we currently do not have a safe and welcoming environment for those of certain races, religions, ancestries, sexes, ages, sexual orientations, genders or varying income status.

Based on these assumptions, city leadership feels there is a case for “fundamentally changing” Huntington.

Gee, that sounds so familiar. Where have I heard that before???

For those knowledgeable of our city history, Huntington was long considered a wonderful city in which to raise a family or work. The quagmire in which we now find ourselves is simply the handy work of liberal Democrats – period.

The goal is not to bring social justice to Huntington. The goal is to get votes by garnering support from those who subscribe to the tenets of liberalism.

The goal isn’t to “broaden views,” the goal is to “broaden the power” for the Deep State lurking in the shadows of City Hall.

Understand, where politicians are concerned, my humor is questionable, at best. It often borders on sarcastic disgust.

Recently, I read an April article by Richard Cowan of Reuters that shared President Donald Trump’s tweet last Friday which stated he was considering sending immigrants illegally entering our country to the various “sanctuary cities”, rather than deport them.

Frankly, I laughed out loud.

Well, why not? They want them, don’t they? The wisdom and political incorrectness of President Trump drives liberals crazy! It’s such a beautiful thing.

Trump’s tweet read as follows:

“Due to the fact that Democrats are unwilling to change our very dangerous immigration laws, we are indeed, as reported, giving strong considerations to placing Illegal Immigrants in Sanctuary Cities only,” Trump wrote on Twitter.

Mayors of sanctuary cities across the country were reportedly incensed, yet many continued to hide behind inclusiveness and defiantly declared “everyone” would be welcomed to their city.

Now, I know these must be intelligent people. After all, they got themselves elected to the position of mayor. But they sure don’t act intelligent!

But their commonality is that their policies don’t reflect the best interests of their citizens and constituents! And they incessantly seem to strive to provide more rights and privileges for those from whom they are seeking support, than other law-abiding, indigenous citizens.

That, my friends, is not inclusiveness.

So, beyond the lofty ambitions and jaded words, where are we as a city and where will we be in 5 years? Could we evolve into a sanctuary city?  I’m not sure.  But…

The Shadow knows!

 

 

 

 

 

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